Ma se ghe penso

"Ma se ghe penso" is a song in the dialect of Genoa. It has a central role in the city folklore and is commonly quoted as one of its symbols.

Lyrics

Its texts speaks of an Italian emigrant to Latin America, who is thinking of coming back to his city. Notwithstanding his child's opposition, he finally goes back to Genoa, with a few things.

History

The song was written by Mario Capello (music and lyrics);^[1] Attilio Margutti too helped with the music. "Ma se ghe penso" was launched in 1925. The first interpretation was by soprano Luisa Rondolotti, in Genoa's Teatro Orfeo.

Recordings

Other well known interpretations were that of Giuseppe Marzari and that, not sung but recited, of Gilberto Govi.^[2]

In 1967 Mina reinterpreted the song.^[3]

Recently, Ma se ghe penso was sung by the Neapolitan singer Massimo Ranieri (together with the Genoese showmen Luca Bizzarri and Paolo Kessisoglu) during the Sanremo Festival 2011.^[4]

English translation of the text

He had left with no money,
thirty years had passed or even more.
He fought to save some money
to be able to come back one day
and build a house with its backyard
with the creeper, the winery and the wine,
the cot hanging on the trees as a bed,
on which to lie night and day.
But his son used to tell him: "Don't even think about it,
what do you want to do in Genoa?!"

But if I think about it, I can see the sea,
I see my mountains, and Nunziata Square,
I see the Righi and I'm shaking my heart,
I see the Lanterna, the Cava,^[5] and there the pier...
I see Genoa illuminated in the night,
there I see Foce ^[6] and I hear the sea breaking
and so again I think of coming back
to rest my bones where my grandma rests.

A long time passed, maybe too long;
his son insisted: "We're fine right here,
where do you wanna go, dad?.. we'll think about it later,
the trip, the sea, you're old, it's not worth it!"
"Oh no, oh no! I still feel really good,
I've had enough, I can't take it anymore,
I'm tired of hearing "señor", "carramba",
I want to go back again...
You were born and speak Spanish,
but I was born Genoese...I won't give up!"

But if I think about it, there I see the sea,
I see my mountains, and Nunziata Square,
I see the Righi and I'm shaking my heart,
I see the Lanterna, the Cava, and there the pier...
I see Genoa illuminated in the night,
there I see Foce and I hear the sea breaking
and so again I think of coming back
to rest my bones where my grandma rests.

With a few things he left
and he made his nest again in Genoa.

References